a very merry unbirthday

Tomorrow is my best friends birthday...so we celebrated it up this weekend.

Saturday began at the Voda Spa  in Los Angeles.  The outside really doesn't prepare you for the inside.  You enter into a peaceful little paradise.  You check in, get your locker, go upstairs to hop in your robe and sandals and you're ready to go...in your swimsuit, as this is a coed place.  There had been some discussion about visiting a "naked" spa, but that's been postponed for a bit.

We visited the different saunas and steam rooms, took a dip in the pool and had our treatments.  I got the aromatherapy massage, and the therapist took a lot of time working on the knots in my neck and shoulder area, which I appreciate greatly because I've been told that's where I hold my tension.  It did feel a little rough in spots, but hey, whatever works sometimes.  The BF had a pretty amazing facial.  So good she got her card and plans to visit her again.  Our other friend went for deep tissue massage and really felt like she got a good one...I'm more for Swedish styles, but maybe that's why I have knots.

Later we did the lunch thing at Gracias Madre also in LA.  This is a Vegan/Mexican restaurant and pretty tasty.  They have a great patio, perfect for drinking.  In the mood for a super fun outdoorsy summer drink? Let me recommend their "La Quinceanera" it's pink and yellow and has tequila and a snowcone...now I wish I'd taken a picture.

We finished up the day with mani-pedis at Limon Nail & Spa Boutique super friendly ladies at very small shop.  $35 for a mani-pedi combo, I call that a score.  I went a mermaid type of route with my color choices.

For Sunday we did our volunteer shift with the kitties at BFLA.  Best Friends Animal Society is an amazing organization doing great work for the adoptable cats and dogs of LA. While there is nothing glamorous about cleaning cat cages, it does give your heart a boost knowing that you're doing good.

While it wasn't my birthday, being able to see hang with a friend having fun all weekend long felt like a very merry unbirthday for me!

how I spent my weekend

Saturday I decided to add a little more pink to my hair...all by myself.  I went back to the lighter pink with just a couple of touch ups.  The more I look at it, the more I think I'd like to go with a little lilac (a la Kelly Osbourne). Seriously, I think she looks so good with the lavender that it probably should've been what she was born with.

Though for myself, I'm still caught up in the ombre trend:

That, and perhaps I'm a chicken...I watched an old Top Model the other day where they bleached a girl's hair while she tried to hold back tears...I'll just stick to the ends thank you very much.











I also opted to give myself a manicure..and added my own nail art.  Which leads me to the question, how do these girls do it when they can decorate both hands?  I'm a lefty and feel like my right hand comes out okay, but then I get over to the other side and it's like blahhh! I suppose it just takes practice but it makes me even more in awe of some of those true nail artists out there.  My work is over here on the left...I got the other image from google.

How artsy do you get with your fingers?  
Are you a mani DIY-er?




To finish up my weekend, I'm watching the Oscars (and rooting for Silver Linings Playbook), flipping through the latest People Style Watch and catching up on my reading (My Antonia).

How was your weekend?